BATON ROUGE — A Southern University student is learning to juggle college classes while operating a full-time business.

Macie Smith, 23, is a full-time student and owner of a beauty supply store Luxurious Lookz along Highland Road. She opened the shop six months ago and wants to celebrate Black hair and beauty.

“I want us to feel appreciated. I want us to feel like we matter when it comes to the stuff that we need,” Smith said.

She's working to improve her community by creating a positive atmosphere for customers and helping everyone who walks in.

"It's a lot of people that come in with certain budgets. I love to help them with their budget because not everyone has it all the time," Smith said.

Smith has a year to go until she graduates with a bachelor's degree in finance. She said she chose the study path to help make good business decisions for the beauty store. Balancing work and school can be a challenge, but Smith said the difficulty has taught her discipline.

"You won't be able to be like everyone else going out every day. Having fun, going to all the tailgates, you won't be able to do that," she said.

Smith said no matter the circumstances, her faith played a crucial role in her success. She said she wouldn't have made it without God.

“Keeping God first and making sure that He is in the center of everything you’re doing. When He’s in the center, everything is going to work out," she said.

Smith said she is already planning to expand to a larger location.